Man charged with murder after woman assaulted in 1990 dies

Published: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 at 8:07 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 at 8:07 p.m.

A Mills River man was arrested Tuesday and charged with first-degree murder after police say a woman he was convicted of assaulting in 1990 died in December from her injuries.

Kenneth Nelson Guthrie, 50, of 161 Queens Creek Drive, was charged by detectives with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Unit in the death of Jacqueline Cain Maybin.

Guthrie was convicted in 1991 of beating Maybin, who was left paralyzed and bound to a wheelchair. Guthrie served four years of a 20-year sentence.

Maybin died Dec. 18, 2012. The Chief Medical Examiner's Office determined the manner of death to be homicide, according to a news release issued Tuesday evening by the Sheriff's Office, and that the cause of death was directly related to the assault.

A grand jury recently indicted Guthrie for first-degree murder resulting from the Dec. 23, 1990 assault. He is being held in the Henderson County Detention Facility without bond, and his first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.

His family members were in tears Tuesday night as they gathered to support each other in a dark hour they thought had long since passed.

“We were just hoping that it was all over. We went on with our lives and we were very sorry for what happened to her,” said Guthrie's wife of 19 years, Mary Ann Guthrie. “He did not murder her. He should not be charged with first-degree murder.

“He does not deserve this. He's a good man. We have tons of people that will tell you what a good man he is. He's a wonderful provider for our daughter,” she added in between sobs. “I will never believe that he beat her... I do not believe that what happened 20-something years ago is the reason that she died.”

She said her phone was ringing constantly with supporters and friends wanting to help after news of her husband's arrest hit the community.

Kenneth Guthrie, a 1981 graduate of West Henderson High, had rebuilt his life after prison and became a contractor, his wife said Tuesday.

“He's very well-known in the Mills River community for his craftsmanship and his integrity,” said his sister, Lisa Worsham. “We are behind him 100 percent. We just pray to God that this will all come out and it will be over because he is a brother, he's a father... he served his time and it's done ... We will get him back. We will prevail over this.”

Mary Ann Guthrie said she wished they could have had more of a chance to tell him they loved him before he was arrested.

“He's my daddy... I know he didn't do this,” said his 17-year-old daughter, Misty Guthrie. “I know that he's OK and that I'll get to see him soon.”

“He's loved by everyone in his family. He's never known a stranger and he would do anything for anyone at any given time,” said his niece, Karie Salser.

“He's never laid a hand on me. He's a wonderful husband,” Mary Ann Guthrie said. “I want him home where he belongs.”

Trial testimony

Newspaper clippings from Guthrie's 1991 trial tell Maybin's story of what happened the night she was injured. She testified during the trial that the two argued after attending a Christmas party Dec. 23, 1990.

After being asked to leave the party, the couple argued while driving home, Maybin testified. Maybin said she jerked the wheel and the truck ran off the road. The two got out of the truck and Guthrie began beating her, she said.

Guthrie kicked her with his cowboy boots and dragged her, Maybin testified, and she remembered being loaded into the back of the truck and later waking up in an Asheville hospital's intensive care unit.

Guthrie told the jury he and Maybin argued and that he slapped her in the face. But he said she sustained her injuries during the accident.

Charles Loomis, a brain and spinal cord surgeon who also testified, told the jury Maybin's injuries were not consistent with a vehicle accident.

The Times-News article also describes Maybin's reaction to the doctor's testimony.

“Sitting in her wheelchair behind the district attorney, Maybin sobbed as Loomis told jurors that her life expectancy is considerably shorter now that she is paralyzed from the chest down,” according to the article. “He said skin, lung and heart complications caused by paralysis often shorten paraplegic's lives.”

In 2002, Maybin's family members were afraid she would die when fluid started to build up in her body. Maybin endured constant pain while lying paralyzed over the years, her sister, Racheal Cain, told the Times-News in a story published June 22, 2002. Her family had to roll Maybin over at night to keep her from developing bed sores.

Then-District Attorney Jeff Hunt said in the article that if Maybin died, it would be difficult to prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the injuries Guthrie inflicted were responsible. The years that have passed since her injuries mean other circumstances could be linked to her eventual death, he said.

<p>A Mills River man was arrested Tuesday and charged with first-degree murder after police say a woman he was convicted of assaulting in 1990 died in December from her injuries. </p><p>Kenneth Nelson Guthrie, 50, of 161 Queens Creek Drive, was charged by detectives with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Unit in the death of Jacqueline Cain Maybin.</p><p>Guthrie was convicted in 1991 of beating Maybin, who was left paralyzed and bound to a wheelchair. Guthrie served four years of a 20-year sentence. </p><p>Maybin died Dec. 18, 2012. The Chief Medical Examiner's Office determined the manner of death to be homicide, according to a news release issued Tuesday evening by the Sheriff's Office, and that the cause of death was directly related to the assault. </p><p>A grand jury recently indicted Guthrie for first-degree murder resulting from the Dec. 23, 1990 assault. He is being held in the Henderson County Detention Facility without bond, and his first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday. </p><p>His family members were in tears Tuesday night as they gathered to support each other in a dark hour they thought had long since passed. </p><p>“We were just hoping that it was all over. We went on with our lives and we were very sorry for what happened to her,” said Guthrie's wife of 19 years, Mary Ann Guthrie. “He did not murder her. He should not be charged with first-degree murder.</p><p>“He does not deserve this. He's a good man. We have tons of people that will tell you what a good man he is. He's a wonderful provider for our daughter,” she added in between sobs. “I will never believe that he beat her... I do not believe that what happened 20-something years ago is the reason that she died.”</p><p>She said her phone was ringing constantly with supporters and friends wanting to help after news of her husband's arrest hit the community. </p><p>Kenneth Guthrie, a 1981 graduate of West Henderson High, had rebuilt his life after prison and became a contractor, his wife said Tuesday. </p><p>“He's very well-known in the Mills River community for his craftsmanship and his integrity,” said his sister, Lisa Worsham. “We are behind him 100 percent. We just pray to God that this will all come out and it will be over because he is a brother, he's a father... he served his time and it's done ... We will get him back. We will prevail over this.” </p><p>Mary Ann Guthrie said she wished they could have had more of a chance to tell him they loved him before he was arrested.</p><p>“He's my daddy... I know he didn't do this,” said his 17-year-old daughter, Misty Guthrie. “I know that he's OK and that I'll get to see him soon.”</p><p>“He's loved by everyone in his family. He's never known a stranger and he would do anything for anyone at any given time,” said his niece, Karie Salser.</p><p>“He's never laid a hand on me. He's a wonderful husband,” Mary Ann Guthrie said. “I want him home where he belongs.”</p><p><b>Trial testimony</b></p><p>Newspaper clippings from Guthrie's 1991 trial tell Maybin's story of what happened the night she was injured. She testified during the trial that the two argued after attending a Christmas party Dec. 23, 1990.</p><p>After being asked to leave the party, the couple argued while driving home, Maybin testified. Maybin said she jerked the wheel and the truck ran off the road. The two got out of the truck and Guthrie began beating her, she said.</p><p>Guthrie kicked her with his cowboy boots and dragged her, Maybin testified, and she remembered being loaded into the back of the truck and later waking up in an Asheville hospital's intensive care unit.</p><p>Guthrie told the jury he and Maybin argued and that he slapped her in the face. But he said she sustained her injuries during the accident.</p><p>Charles Loomis, a brain and spinal cord surgeon who also testified, told the jury Maybin's injuries were not consistent with a vehicle accident.</p><p>The Times-News article also describes Maybin's reaction to the doctor's testimony.</p><p>“Sitting in her wheelchair behind the district attorney, Maybin sobbed as Loomis told jurors that her life expectancy is considerably shorter now that she is paralyzed from the chest down,” according to the article. “He said skin, lung and heart complications caused by paralysis often shorten paraplegic's lives.”</p><p>In 2002, Maybin's family members were afraid she would die when fluid started to build up in her body. Maybin endured constant pain while lying paralyzed over the years, her sister, Racheal Cain, told the Times-News in a story published June 22, 2002. Her family had to roll Maybin over at night to keep her from developing bed sores. </p><p>Then-District Attorney Jeff Hunt said in the article that if Maybin died, it would be difficult to prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the injuries Guthrie inflicted were responsible. The years that have passed since her injuries mean other circumstances could be linked to her eventual death, he said.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>